Intermittent catheterization is a good option for many users who suffer from various abnormalities of the urinary system. A common situation is where single use, individually packaged, sterile catheters are used. Catheters often include a surface treatment that reduces friction to allow for easier and less traumatic insertion into and through the user's urethra.
One such surface treatment includes providing a hydrophilic coating on the exterior surface of the catheter. In a hydrophilic coated catheter, the catheter is provided with a thin coating disposed on the outer surface of the catheter. When this coating is activated by contact with a hydrating medium, such as liquid water or water vapor, it becomes lubricious and provides an extremely low coefficient of friction surface.
The hydrating medium may be added to the catheter package after opening. Another embodiment provides liquid water in a separate compartment that is opened to allow the water to enter the catheter containing compartment for direct contact with the hydrophilic coating. Or the hydrating medium could be a wick, sachet or liquid sequestering element wetted with a liquid, such as water. Water vapor from the wick hydrates the catheter. Catheter packages employing a wick are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,205,745 and 8,356,457 to Murray et al. and in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0131917 to Kavanagh et al. and 2012/0228165 to Murray et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Another type of surface treatment is a gel-coated catheter in which a gel-lubricant is applied to the surface of the catheter. The gel-lubricant may be applied to the catheter surface just before or during the packaging operation or as the catheter is being inserted by the user.
Regardless of whether a surface treatment is used or what type of surface treatment is used, some type of package for the catheter is required. In the past various kinds of packages have been used, including molded containers of assorted sizes and shapes, bags and pouches made of plastic or metal foil, and similar kinds of devices. An example of a tubular type of package is shown in U.S. Published Application No. 2005/0043715. While these prior art packages generally accomplish the objective of protecting the catheter during transport, storage and preparation for use, they suffer from disadvantages that range from fundamental—the packages break open prematurely; to economic—the package designs are wasteful of material and labor; to the annoying—the packages confuse users as to how to open them, or the packages tend to spill the hydrating medium upon opening. What is needed is a catheter package that is economical to manufacture and fill, reliable throughout its useful life, and simple and intuitive to use. It is also desirable to have a compact package whose transport and use can be discreet.